The Stage

Top producer claims TV comedy is suffering from lack of acting talent

Published Tuesday 4 July 2006 at 17:00 by Liz Thomas

The Thick of It producer Adam Tandy has sparked an angry reaction from performers and agents after warning that British TV comedy is suffering from a lack of capable acting talent.

Tandy, who has also worked on One Foot in the Grave, The Armando Iannucci Show and The Saturday Night Armistice, said he did not believe the low number of high profile, successful sitcoms in recent years was due to a dearth of talented writers - a criticism often levelled at the industry. He argues that in recent years the problem has been the lack of suitable of actors and an over-reliance on comedians.

He said: “We look back at programmes such as Yes, Minister with great admiration. The reason we are finding it so hard to come up with such things now is that we don’t have that wealth of acting talent to deliver.

“Ever since the Young Ones we have turned to stand-up comedians as our mainstay of talent. It’s as though if you tell a joke and deal with hecklers, that somehow makes you a comedy genius and right for a sitcom.”

His comments have been met with anger within the industry with Equity dismissing the concern, pointing to popular BBC shows My Family and The Office. A spokesperson said: “In a few seconds I can think of successful sitcoms which in no way rely on stand-up comedians for talent.”

Jon Thoday, joint managing director of Harry Hill and Al Murray producer Avalon Television, also disagreed, arguing that a good script was sufficient to attract a strong cast. He added that the UK was home to tremendous comic talent and that often the best people to perform comedy were stand-up stars.

Thoday responded: “Look at John Cleese or Steve Coogan. Comic timing is a difficult thing and most people would agree that comic acting is harder than straight acting. Comedians tend to be better at it.”

Tandy is also working with Iannucci, who now heads his own BBC comedy unit, on new programmes, including futuristic news spoof Time Trumpet. The producer added that it was up to the industry to find and develop the skills of both straight and comic actors in order to build up a catalogue of talent suitable for sitcoms and television comedy.